Obstetrical instrument.



P. D. RUSSELL.

OBSTETRIGAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION IILED NOV. 1, 1912.

1,072,038, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

WITNESSES: INVENIOR ATTORNEY coLUMnlA PLANEQRAP" 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PLUMMER D. RUSSELL, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

OB$TETRIGAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed November 1, 1912.

0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PLUMMER 1). Russian, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, in the county of lueblo and State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Obstetrical lnstruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention is an improvement in ohstetrical instruments and the prime. object of my invention is to provide an instrument which will deflect and guide the head of the fetus toward the birth canal and also act as a guiding surface over which the fetus may pass on its way to ard delivery.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will later appear in the specification and be pointed out in the appended claims.

The inventor has observed that a large proportion of the labor pains are wasted due to the fetal head engaging aga inst the symphysis pubis instead of emerging directly toward the birth canal. If, tl'ierefore, the fetal head can be directed properly and the instrument of direction be retained within the mouth of the uterus until the fetus has passed the point where engagement or obstruction occurred, hours of suffering can be eliminated and danger to both mother and child avoided. \Vith this object in view I have devised the instrument shown in the accompanying single sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire instrument; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the bowl portion taken on the line AB of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section extending the full length of the instrument, taken on the line 6-4) of Fig. 1. Fig. f is a plan View.

In the preferred form shown in the drawings the device is substantially one foot in length, of which the handle and shank, lettered t and 5 respectively, take up about one half and the bowl (5 the remainder. The handle should be rigid with the shank and bowl, and may conveniently be integral therewith as in the embodiment here illustrated. The bowl, which forms the operating portion of the device, has a rounded tip 7, is elongated in the direction of the length of the instrument, and one face is eoncaved in two directions, all as clearly shown on the drawings. As here shown, the elongated bowl is symmetrical with respect to the straight line constituting its longer axis;

Specification of Letters Patent.

.tatcntcd Sept. 2, 19.1 3.

Serial No. 729,087.

and its longitudinal concavity or curvature is materially greater than its transverse concavity. in the preferred form the greatest width of the bowl is at substantially the point. where the section /\---l.- is taken and this width is approximately one third the length of the bowl. I do not wish. however, to limit myself to any specifi dimensions or proportions as these details do not form an essential part of my invention and may be varied at will. The edges of the bowl are made dull or rounded and the entire instruimait is finished perfectly smooth to avoid any danger of cutting or scratching. The entire device, which is preferably made of metal, is thoroughly coated with nickel, silver, or similar metal in order that it may easily be kept thoroughly clean.

l would recommeml that before using the bowl portion be thoroughly lubricated with. sterilized vaseline or olive oil. Tf it be found that a perfectly normal delivery is not taking place due to the causes outlined above, the instrument should be inserted between labor pains antcriorly through the mouth of the uterus. The head of the fetus may then be engaged by the interior of the bowl and readily deflected postcriorly oil' the bony pubic arch and into the birth canal. The smooth lubricated bowl will then act as a continurms glide or skid upon which the fetus may travel directly or in a substantially straight. line toward delivery and the instrument is left in. aim until the "fetus has passed the point where obstruction can occur. This simple action, which I have found to be eminently ellicient in practice, will eliminate hours of suffering and much danger to both mother and child. T have also found that where delivery is delayed labor pains may be stimulated by use of the instrument, thus hastening delivery.

I am aware that instruments alled vectes have heretofore been used in similar contingencies. These devices, however, have a cut out bowl portion and when in engagement with the fetus permit a. portion of it to protrude through the cut out central portion of the bowl. Such protrusion will eompletely obviate any gliding action and the instrim'ient must perforce be used only as a pry or tractor and be withdrawn before or with the fetus. It will be obvious that my device operates in a different manner and performs an entirely different function, since it is designed only to afford a continuous smooth gliding or skidding surface and not to act in any way as a tractor device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An obstetrical instrument having an elongated smooth imperforate bowl, said bowl being symmetrical with respect to a straight line constituting its longer axis and a handle rigidly connected with the bowl.

2. An obstetrical instrument having an elongated imperforate bowl disposed symmetrically with respect to a straight line constituting its longer axis said bowl being concave along two axes substantially at right angles and the curvature being deeper on the longer axis.

3. A11 obstetrical instrument comprising a smooth and imperforate blade-like member whose length is approximately at least three times its width and which is symmet- PLUMMER D. RUSSELL.

Witnesses: V

CHAS. 4V; ODoNNnLL, W. W. BOUGI-ITON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

